A cross-sectional study of the Evaluation of Iodine Deficiency among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at a Community Health Centre

Background Iodine deficiency is a critical global health issue, especially among pregnant women. Iodine is essential for producing thyroid hormones, which are vital for metabolic regulation and the development of the nervous system, bones, and muscles during pregnancy and early childhood. Pregnancy increases the maternal thyroid gland's iodine requirement, and severe deficiency can cause hypothyroidism in both mother and fetus. This can lead to preterm birth, low birth weight, miscarriage, and impaired cognitive development in children. Methods This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the dietary habits and iodine levels among pregnant women was conducted from January to December 2021. It included 158 pregnant women who provided informed consent. Data were collected using a pretested questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics and dietary intake, alongside urine samples for urinary iodine concentration (UIC) analysis. Results Participants had a mean age of 29.37 years and an average household size of 3.552. Dietary analysis through a modified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) showed infrequent consumption of iodine-rich foods. Urine samples analyzed using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction revealed a mean UIC of 200.24 µmol/L, with 50.6% of participants having levels below the recommended threshold for pregnant women. Conclusions The study revealed high prevalence of iodine deficiency among the participants, highlighting the need for improved public health interventions to boost iodine intake during pregnancy. The findings stress the urgent need for better dietary education and supplementation programs to ensure adequate iodine levels among pregnant women, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, to mitigate the adverse effects of iodine deficiency.